Closure retainer



July 12, 1966 1. H. MILLER 3,259,935

CLOSURE RETAINER Filed March 16, 1962 INVENTOR.

\RA H MH-LER SPENCER x-Buwuacla a.

a w. Asa-am CH A-fr'cavlavs United States Patent 3,259,935 CLOSURE RETAINER Ira H. Miller, Lambertville, Mich., assiguor to Owens- Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 180,092 13 Claims. (Cl. 15571) This invention relates generally to a closure retainer and more specifically to a retainer for rotatably securing an elliptical closure to an article having an elliptical openmg.

It is well known to provide screw closures for articles having circular openings with the attendant ease of re-. moval and replacement of the same. It is also desirable to provide an article with a non-circular opening with a rotatable closure. To my knowledge, the prior art does not provide such a closure.

With the advent of liquid dispensers and applicators, utilizing a ball as the applicator, there has arisen a need to apply a larger amount of liquid that is possible with a ball. It has been suggested that a roller and more specifically a-n ellipsoidal roller be used as the applicator. Because of the many times that such applicators are used before the contents are exhausted, it is desirable to provide an efiective closure but one which is easily removable.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide means for rotatably securing a closure to an article.

-It is a further object of my invention to provide means for rotatably securing a closure to a non-circular opening.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for rotatably securing an elliptical closure to an elliptical opening.

A further object of my invention is to provide a screw closure for a liquid dispenser and applicator assembly having an elliptical finish.

These and other objects of this invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a prospective view partially broken away of a liquid dispenser and applicator assembly embodying this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the closure cap of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the unattached retainer ring of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the assembled closure cap and retainer ring according to this invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the closure cap and retainer ring of FIGURE 4.

In brief, this invention contemplates a flexible and deformable ring of thermoplastic material which encircles the lower end of a closure for the article to be sealed. Means are provided on the interior of the closure for rotatably securing the ring to the article. The ring is provided with means for holding the closure in closing relationship to the article.

This invention will be illustrated and described with reference to its application to a liquid dispenser and applicator assembly. It should therefore be understood that this invention is also applicable to the closing or sealing of other articles which require a rotatable closure.

Referring now to the drawing wherein one embodiment of this invention is ilustrated, reference numeral denotes a container for deodorants, lotions, perfumes or similar cosmetic compositions that are commonly applied directly to the body, or for any liquid that requires application to another surface as a film, such as glue, shoe polish, etc.

Container 10 may be formed of glass, thenmoplastics, or other similar materials. In the particular example of Patented July 12, 1966 the invention herein described, the container 10 has an elliptical wall 11 which at its free or upper end 12 defines a mouth opening of elliptical configuration. Exteriorly of'this wall 11 and adjacent its free end is an annular upwardly facing shoulder or abutment 13. Screw threads 14 which may be continuous or discontinuous are provided on the exterior of the neck 11 below the shoulder 13. An applicator retaining fitment 15 is provided for mounting on the open end of container 10, as, for example, by insertion into the mouth opening of the container 10.

This fitment 15 which may be formed of polyethylene or other similar elastomeric materials is elliptical in configuration. The specific details of the construction of this fitment are shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 98,360, filed March 27, 4961, and entitled Liquid Dispenser and Applicator, and owned by the common assignee herewith.

The upper portion of fitment 15 is formed by an upstanding peripheral wall 16 which defines an applicator accommodating socket of elliptical configuration. This socket is so constructed so as to readily accommodate an ellipsoidal roller or applicator 17. The major axes of the elliptical shaped parts of the fitment 15 are parallel to each other, thereby affording a compact liquid dispensing and applicator assembly. The roller 17 may be formed of glass, polystyrene, or other similar rigid or semi-rigid materials. The roller 17 is freely rotatable in the socket of the fitment 15 in order that the same may function readily as a liquid applicator and dispenser.

A closure cap 20 which may be formed of polyethylene or other elastomeric materials having similar characterist-ics comprises an elliptical top panel portion 21 and an elliptical depending attaching skirt 22. An annular, radially and outwardly extending flange 23 is provided at or near the lower end of the skirt 22. The function of flange 23 will explained hereinafter.

Interiorly of the closure cap 26 are provided two de pending flexible ribs 24, whose function and design are more specifically described in .the above identified copending application. The ribs 24 are resiliently deformed when the closure cap 20 is secured to the container 10 by means to be discussed, thus forcing and maintaining the roller 17 in sealing contact with the fitment 16 and thereby preventing leakage of the contents of the container when the closure cap 20 is secured thereto. Other means for sealing the package may be resorted to without departing'from the spirit and scope of this application.

The closure cap 20 is secured to the container 10 by rotatable, flexible and deformable ring 25. The ring 25 is formed of flexible thermoplastic materials such as low-density polyethylene. Other thermoplastic materials which are resiliently deformable may be used. The ring 25 in its unattached state is circular in configuration as is shown in FIGURE 3. After it has been pressed over the closure cap 20 it assumes a configuration corresponding to the configuration of the lower portion of the skirt 22 of the closure cap.

Interiorly of the ring 25 are threads 26 which mate with the threads 14 on the container 10 to secure the ring and closure to the container. The upper portion of the ring is provided with a radially and inwardly extending rib or shoulder 27 which mates with the rib 23* on the closure cap 20 to prevent dislodgement of the closure cap and also to hold the same in sealing position to the applicator assembly.

The exterior of the ring 25 is provided with a plurality of parallel grooves 28 which extend from the upper extremity of the ring to substantially the lower extremity of the ring. The grooves 28 extend in a direction parallel to'the axis of rotation of the ring 25 and improve the flexibility of the ring.

In operation the circular ring 25 is telescoped over the non-circular or elliptical closure cap 2t) and pushed downwardly until shoulder 27 on the ring 25 comes to rest against the rib 23 on the closure cap 20. In this position the ring 25 is freely rotatable with respect to the stationary cap 20. t

The closure20 and ring 25 are then telescoped over the threaded end of container or any other article which is to be closed by this assembly. The threads 26 on the ring 25 are brought into registry with the container threads 14. Thereafter the ring 25 is rotated while the cap 20 does not rotate. Their rotation pulls the ring and cap downwardly with respect to the fitment 16 and container 10 until the rib 23 comes to rest against the shoulder 13 on the container 10. This flexes the ribs 24 thereby forcing roller 17 into sealing engagement with the fitment 16.

If this closure assembly is used with articles other than the liquid dispensers and applicator assembly shown in the drawing, means other than ribs 24 will be used to seal the. article. For example, a gasket may be provided in the closure which upon rotation of the ring and subsequent downward movement of the closure and ring will come into sealing contact with the open end of the article.

Heretofore,it was not thought possible to utilize a screw closure for an article. such as a container which was provided with a non-circular opening. This invention makes it possible to seal such an opening with a closure cap which corresponds to the configuration of the opening, but one which is provided with a screw-threaded flexible and rotatable ring which forces and maintains the closure in sealing contact with the article.

It should, therefore, be understood that various details of construction may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is to be limited only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A retainer for securing a closure to the elliptical opening of an article comprising a circular flexible ring 7 deformable to an elliptical configuration, said ring when deformed encircling the lower end of said closure, screw threads on the interior of said ring arranged to cooperate with threads on said article, a radially outwardly extending rib on the lower end of said closure, and a radially inwardly extending shoulder on the upper end of said ring adopted to mate with said rib on the closure to hold said closure over the open end of the article.

2. A retainer for securing a closure to the elliptical opening of an article comprising a circular flexible ring deformable to an elliptical configuration, said ring when deformed encircling the lower end of said closure, the

exterior surface of said ring being provided with a plurality of closely spaced, parallel grooves, said grooves extending normal to the circumference of said ring and extending substantially the full width of said ring, screw threads on the interior of said ring arranged to cooperate with threads on said article, a radially outwardly extending rib on the lower end of said closure and a radially inwardly extending shoulder on the upper end of said ring adopted to mate with said rib on the closure to hold said closure over the open end of the article.

3. In a liquid dispenser and applicator assembly comprising a rotatable applicator element, a fitment defining an applicator accommodating socket, means for securing said fitment to said container, and means in said socket providing fluid communication. between said container and thesocket, and a closure cap having a top panel portion and a depending attaching skirt constructed and arranged to surround said element and fitment, the improvement comprising a circular flexible ring deformable to an elliptical configuration corresponding to the configuration of said closure cap and dispenser and appliend of said closure, anda radially inwardly extending shoulder on the upper end of said ring adapted to mate with said rib on the closure to hold said closure overthe open end of the article. 7

4. A retainer for securing an elliptical closure to an 'elliptically-shaped neck of an article comprising a flexibly deformable ring encircling the periphery of said closure, means on the interior of said ring for securing said ring to said closure while permitting peripheral movement of said ring relative to said closure and internal thread means on said ring adapted to engage the article neck in screw threaded relationship for holding said articlein closing engagement with said closure.

5. A sealable package comprisingin combination, a container element having a non-circular opening, a noncircular closure element shaped to cooperate with said non-circular opening, one of said elements having external helical projections around its periphery, and a fastening device comprising a flexibly deformable .band

constructed to snugly surround adjoining portions of said container element and said closure element, said band having internal projections cooperable with said helical projections in threaded relationship, whereby peripheral movement of said band relative to said one element axially displaces said band relative to said one element, and means on said band cooperating with said other element to concurrently axially move said other element relative to said one element.

6. A container comprising (a) a threaded body member having a non-circular opening at the top thereof, (b) a lid of corresponding non-circular cross-section for covering the opening in said body member, and (c) a flexible threaded band surrounding said lid, said band rotating relative to said lid as the threads on said band engage the threads on said body member.

7.'A container comprising (a) an externally threaded body member having a non-circular opening at the top vthereof, (b) a lid corresponding non-circular cross-sec- ;tion for covering the opening in said body member, (c)

a flexible internally threaded bandsurrounding said lid,

said band being rotatable with respect to said lid, and (d) 1 internally projecting means afiixed to the top of said band,

said internally projecting means securing said lid over the opening in said body member when the threads on said band are engaged with the threads on said body member.

8. A container comprising (a) an externally threaded body member having an'non-circular opening at the top thereof, (b) a lid of corresponding non-circular crosssection for covering the opening in said body member,

(0) a flexible internally threaded band surrounding saidlid, said band being rotatable with respect to said lid, and (d) internally projecting means afiixed to the top of said band, said lid being positioned between the threads of said band and said internally projecting means, said internally projecting means securing said lid over the ly projecting means aflixed to the top of said band, said lid being positioned between the threads on said band and said internally propecting means, said internally projecting means securing said flanged lid over the open- 7 ing in said body member above said internally threaded portion when the threads on said band are engaged with the threads on said body member.

10. The container defined in claim 9 wherein said internally projecting means comprises an internally projecting bead affixed to the upper edge of said flexible band.

:11. A container comprising (a) a body member having an elliptically shaped opening at the top thereof, said body member including a recessed rim surrounding said ppening and an externally threaded portion adjacent said rim, (b) an elliptically shaped flanged lid, the flange of said lid compressively engaging the external surface of the rim on said body member, (-c) a flexible internally threaded band surrounding said flanged lid and being rota-table with respect thereto, and (d) an internally projecting bead aflixed to the top of said band for securing said lid over the opening in said body member when the threads on said band are engaged with the threads on said body member, said lid being positioned between said bead and the top of the threads on said band.

12. In combination with an externally threaded body member having a non-circular opening at the top thereof, a cap comprising (a) a flanged lid having a corresponding non-circular crosssection for covering the opening in said body member, and (b) a flexible band surrounding -.and being movable with respect thereto, said band including an internal projecting bead afiixed to the top of said band and internal threads spaced from said intern-ally projecting bead, said flanged lid being positioned between .said internally projecting bead and the top of said internal threads.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,387,978 10/ 1945' Casey 215-38 2,449,014 9/1948 'Shafler 215-56 2,941,562 6/1960 Ripin 220-42 2,981,968 5/ 1961 Schaich 15-572 3,022,922 2/1962 Patton et a1. 220-60 3,121,508 2/ 1964 Kase 220-39 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, FRANKLIN T. GARRETT,

GEORGE 'O. RALSTON, Examiners.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

6. A CONTAINER COMPRISING (A) A THREADED BODY MEMBER HAVING A NON-CIRCULAR OPENING AT THE TOP THEREOF, (B) A LID OF CORRESPONDING NON-CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION FOR COVERING THE OPENING IN SAID BODY MEMBER, AND (C) A FLEXIBLE THREADED BAND SURROUNDING SAID LID, SAID BAND ROTATING RELATIVE TO SAID LID AS THE THREADS ON SAID BAND ENGAGE THE THREADS ON SAID BODY MEMBER. 